Hurricane stared at Frost, who had been holding the dreamvisitor to his forehead for several minutes. She stood up, paced, then sat down again. Finally, Frost lowered the sapphire.

"What? What happened?" she cried.

The look on Frost's face said it all. "Not good."

Peril turned from the cave opening. Cougar raised her head. Blizzard and Cobra walked over. Truthseeker stood up. Snow, and even Gyrfalcon, seemed to be listening.

"Scarlet challenged Ruby. Scarlet won. Caiman and Firestorm are imprisoned on the spires around her arena."

Peril slumped back. "No," she whispered. "No, no, no."

"How soon can we get there?" Cobra demanded.

"Four nights. At best," Frost said. "She said she and Caiman could hold out."

"I've seen what Scarlet does," Cougar said hoarsely. "She's a murderous, insane psychopath. No one can ever tell what she will do."

"Psychopathy may be good for us," Truthseeker said.

Everyone stared at him. He tried to backtrack. "I mean, we may be able to use that. We may be able to outsmart her," he stammered.

Peril looked thoughtful. "She's shallow, vain, and has a pretty bad temper. As long as Firestorm and Caiman are smart about what they say and do, they might be able to hold out."

Blizzard spoke up. "Even if you outsmart Queen Scarlet, you still have their guards to contend with."

Snow stood up. "I lived with Scarlet for a long time. She's ruthless. She will do whatever she needs to win. Once, a NightWing was sent to try to convince Queen Thorn to execute you, but she refused. When he returned, Scarlet executed him for 'not trying hard enough.' It was the only time I ever saw Fatespinner get really mad at her."

Truthseeker winced. "I remember that."

Cobra's scales had faded to a mix of deep red and pale green. "How did Scarlet ever win the throne?"

Frost shrugged. "Ruthlessness. Cruelty. She enjoys watching battles, so she's not put off by bloodshed."

"What would she do if something threatened her?"

For a moment, no one recognized the voice. Then, Snow looked at Gyrfalcon. It was the little IceWing who had spoken.

"What?" Frost asked.

Gyrfalcon stared at him. "What would she do? Would she try to get rid of the threat, or would she try to work it in her favor?"

Everyone turned to Peril. "She would eliminate the threat. Violently. With lots of blood and probably spectacle involved."

"How does that help us?" Cougar asked.

"What if..." Truthseeker said slowly. "What if we could turn her against Fatespinner? Make him look like a threat? Maybe that would weaken and expose Fatespinner, and maybe it would keep Queen Scarlet's focus off the rest of the tribes for a while."

"Maybe," Hurricane said. "But how would we do that?"

"It would be incredibly hard," Peril said. "Especially since she knows and hates us."

An idea began to form in Hurricane's mind, but she didn't voice it. She snuck a glance at Truthseeker. Her plan would involve trusting him, and she wasn't sure she was ready for that yet. At least not until Firestorm got a chance to meet him.

"If we could fake a threat, though," Hurricane said instead. "We might be able to distract her so we can slip in and out."

"How will you do that?" Snow asked.

"I have absolutely no idea."

Peril stared out the cave opening, thinking hard. In one more night, they would reach the Sky Palace. In one more night, they would find out if Firestorm and Caiman were still alive. Hurricane's plan to fake an invasion of the Sky Kingdom was bold, but risky. Too little, and Scarlet wouldn't bother sending her soldiers out to investigate. Too much, and Scarlet would send out so many soldiers that Hurricane and Cougar would never get away. Since Gyrfalcon, Snow, and Blizzard had left a few nights ago, there were only four of them. Five, if she counted Truthseeker.

She heard a noise behind her. She turned, and saw the NightWing walking towards the cave entrance. He leaned against the opposite side, staring out at the darkening sky.

"Can't sleep?" Peril asked.

He shook his head. "I'm usually more alert at night, actually. Some NightWings are."

Peril nodded and stared outside. After a moment, Truthseeker spoke again.

"Do you mind if I ask you something?"

"What?" Peril asked, slightly nervous.

"I saw you fighting Spark. I know that you're no longer the dragon you were when you were Queen Scarlet's Champion, but Spark was your enemy. You know he'll be sent back for you. So, what I'm saying is, your friends would be safer if he had died. Why didn't you kill him?"

Peril thought back to the battle. She remembered how Spark had gone limp after she had held him down. She had known that her friends would be safer if he were dead, but she had also remembered how he had been forced to fight for Fatespinner. What she had felt when Fatespinner had forced the bracelet on her. She remembered the smoke filling her mind as Fatespinner tried to force his will on hers.

"I- I just couldn't." she choked out. "I know he's dangerous, but he was like me. I couldn't see past that."

"Oh," Truthseeker said. He didn't say anything after that.

"Do you think Hurricane's plan will work?" Peril asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Honestly? I'm not sure. I never knew Scarlet as a queen. In the caves, she only had the power that Fatespinner let her have. I'm not sure she noticed that, though."

"Well, what would Fatespinner have let her do?"

"He would have let her send or lead a small patrol to investigate. But now she doesn't have to be subtle. Her patrol might be bigger now."

"She did always like showing off and displays of strength. She will probably send a big patrol to show the nonexistent enemy soldiers that she's already reestablished her power."

Oh no. Cougar and Hurricane will really have to be careful, she thought. Scarlet will be itching to kill something, or see something violently dismembered. If they get caught, Scarlet may not bother imprisoning them. She'll just kill them.

The next night, Peril looked out over the Sky Palace. Hurricane, Frost, and Cougar had already left to ignite some small brush piles they had prepared earlier.

If something goes wrong, I'll light up all of my stripes three times. But you won't really need to look out for it, because things won't go wrong.

Peril hoped fervently that she was right. If a whole SkyWing patrol descended on them, Peril wasn't sure even she could hold them all off long enough for her friends to escape.

She saw the first thin tendril of smoke waft into the western sky, which was still lit with the sunset. A moment later, a second one appeared. As the fifth tendril appeared, a wing of dragons appeared over the Sky Palace. They turned towards the smoke.

"Peril, come on."

Peril jerked, realizing that she had been staring after the SkyWing patrol. Cobra and Truthseeker had already lifted off, but were staring back at her. Peril followed, and they raced for the arena.

Two spires were filled, but as Peril saw the occupants of the spire on the south side, she slowed dramatically.

"Wait!" she hissed. Truthseeker and Cobra looked back, confused, but obeyed.

"Someone's with one of them," she said softly.

Cobra's scales darkened, almost matching Truthseeker's.

"Who?" she hissed.

"Can't tell," Peril replied. "Too dark."

They flew closer cautiously. As they got closer, Peril saw that Firestorm was the dragon imprisoned there. The other dragon was still too dark to make out.

"Wait a minute," Peril breathed. "Is that a NightWing?"

Truthseeker frowned. "I think that's Darkstar."

Peril turned to look for Cobra, but she had disappeared. Peril flew a little closer, and Darkstar lifted off from the spire, still speaking to Firestorm.

Now, Peril could make out the words.

"You have one last chance," he said. "If you don't take it-"

Firestorm cut him off. "I've told you, I will never support Scarlet. She's a cruel queen." Her eyes moved to a point above Darkstar, and she raised her voice. "Took you long enough."

Darkstar's eyes narrowed in confusion, then he dropped from the sky. Cobra materialized on his back, one forearm wrapped around his neck. Her other talons were wrapped around his snout so he couldn't cry out.

Truthseeker and Peril darted forward, Peril to Firestorm's prison, Truthseeker to Cobra and Darkstar. Just as Peril landed, Darkstar went limp under Cobra's and Truthseeker's attack. They carried him to the neighboring spire, and dropped him unceremoniously on top.

"Nice to see you," Firestorm greeted.

Peril nodded. She dragged her talons across the wires, and they dropped away.

"Don't move," she warned. She poked the tip of one claw under the wing clamp, and waited as it burned slowly away. When the first one fell away, Cobra and Truthseeker flew over.

Peril nodded in their direction.

"That's Truthseeker, and you already know Cobra," she teased as she slid her claw under the other clamp.

Firestorm nodded to the two black dragons as her other clamp fell away.

Truthseeker took a deep breath. "Do you think we should put the wires around Darkstar?" he asked.

"Firestorm grinned. "I like that idea. A nice bit of inconvenience for a traitor like him."

She turned to Peril. "Go free Caiman. We'll catch up."

Peril nodded, grinning. She flew to the north side of the arena where Caiman was already standing, trying to see across the web of wires.

"Hi," he said casually as Peril landed next to him.

Peril nodded, swiping her claws across the wires.

"What's going on over there?" he asked as Peril slid her claws under the clamps on his wings.

"Firestorm, Cobra, and a NightWing are tying up a traitor in the wires," she explained casually, as though that happened every day.

Caiman nodded, and stretched his wings as the clamps clattered to the ground. They met up with the three others across the arena, and Peril could just see Darkstar's neck and legs tied in the wires on the way Scarlet had tied her prisoners of war.

"He's going to have an unpleasant surprise when he wakes up," Cobra commented.

"Yes," Firestorm agreed. "Scarlet will have a nasty surprise in the morning."

They flew around the palace, heading to meet Frost, Cougar, and Hurricane.

Frost stood on an outcropping of rock, staring into the black sky. He knew Peril and the others wouldn't be quick, but he worried about them anyway. What if they had been caught?

He was about to ask Hurricane and Cougar for their opinion, when Hurricane stood up.

"I see them," she reported. She stood on her hind legs, flashing a pattern with her stripes. At Cougar's questioning look, she explained.
"Aquatic for 'safe,' and 'here'. I don't think any of them understood it, though."

Cobra landed beside them. "Hi," she said. "Firestorm wants to put some distance between us and the Sky Palace. She said there are fewer dragons in the north."

She took off again, facing north. Frost jumped after her, catching up quickly.

He slid in next to Firestorm. "You met Truthseeker?" he asked.

Firestorm nodded. "Yes. And we can trust him. He's nothing like his father."

Frost opened his mouth to ask how she knew about that, then remembered.

The next night, Frost was awakened by a noise. He saw Peril standing at the mouth of the cave they were sleeping in, her wings spread.

Frost heard a gruff voice from outside. "Peril, if you keep this up, Scarlet will exile you forever. You'll never have a home again."

"I don't want her welcome," Peril responded hotly. "She's evil and cruel. Scree, you know this. She's a thousand times worse than Ruby."

"She will want you out of her kingdom," Scree argued.

"What is she going to do about it?" Peril challenged.

There was only the sound of pounding wings in response to that. Peril stared after Scree, then turned and saw Frost watching.

She sighed. "Scree will take a while to get reinforcements. We flew all night, but we don't have anywhere to go up north."

Frost nodded. "We should wake the others and tell them."

Five minutes later, Hurricane was yawning as she joined the others.

"So," Peril began. "Last night, Commander Scree found us."

She filled them in on the details, ending with; "So I hope someone has a plan, because there isn't anywhere any farther north we can go."

"Actually," Firestorm said slowly. "There is."

Truthseeker stared at her. "You have got to be kidding."

Firestorm shook her head. "I'm not."

"Firestorm, no offense, but you must be crazy. Did you see the explosion? I'd be amazed if there is even an island left!"

Frost cleared his throat. "Excuse me, but what are you two NightWings talking about?"

Cobra took a deep breath. "I think I know. And I agree with Truthseeker. Firestorm, even if the island is there, and even if it is slightly inhabitable, there will definitely be no food left."

"What. Are you. Talking. About," Frost demanded.

Truthseeker sighed. "Firestorm wants to take us to the old NightWing island, which was destroyed in a volcanic eruption a few years ago. Even before then, it was barely survivable for my tribe."

"No one would think to look for us there," Firestorm pointed out. "Half the tribes don't even know it exists. And no one who knew would think we'd be crazy enough to hide there."

"You have a point," Hurricane admitted.

"What about food?" Caiman asked. "However the NightWings got their food, the volcano would have destroyed it."

"There wasn't much food to begin with," Truthseeker muttered.

"The NightWings sometimes ate birds," Firestorm explained. "They wouldn't have died in the explosion. And, it's an island. There'll be fish in the water."

"I've flown to and from the mainland before," Truthseeker explained. "And the midway island is pretty far from the island. If the island isn't there anymore, when will you call a rest? When will you give up looking for it?"

"I know where the island is, or was. If it's not there, I'll turn back."

Frost sighed, relenting. "Two days. We'll give it two days. If it doesn't work out, we'll think of something else."

HonestlyIJustWannaWrite: I'm sorryyyyy... I didn't know what she was like when I wrote this.